Restoring Security at Our Southern Border

May 20, 2026 Weekly Columns For four years under the Biden Administration, our country faced the worst border crisis in history. Drug smugglers, human traffickers, and criminal organizations took advantage of weak enforcement, putting communities at risk. Families across the nation felt the impact as fentanyl poured into the country and illegal crossings reached record highs. Even individuals on the FBI terrorist watchlist attempted to sneak into the United States. This all changed when President Trump took office. During the past 12 months, there have been zero releases at the southern border, a major milestone in restoring security. Under President Trump’s leadership, we are seeing some of the lowest illegal crossing numbers in decades and a renewed commitment to protecting American communities. The immigration crisis did not just impact border states. Cities across the country felt the consequences of dangerous policies that allowed criminals to enter the United States at alarming rates. Earlier this year, the House passed the Stop Illegal Entry Act, legislation I introduced to increase penalties for migrants who re-enter the United States after previously being removed and for those who commit felonies while in the country unlawfully. We must continue to deter illegal immigration and give border patrol agents and law enforcement officers the tools they need to hold dangerous criminals accountable. Today, the results speak for themselves. Southwest border apprehensions in April were 94% lower than the monthly average under the Biden Administration. In fact, total crossings this fiscal year are lower than the monthly average over the last 30 years. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) continue working on the front lines every day to stop dangerous drugs before they reach our communities. In April alone, CBP seized hundreds of pounds of fentanyl along with major increases in methamphetamine and heroin seizures. These efforts are helping keep deadly drugs off our streets and out of American communities. Despite the progress we are seeing at the border, Democrats continue refusing to fund the entirety of the Department of Homeland Security and the personnel who work there. They held DHS hostage for months during the longest government shutdown in history. Congress is now preparing a reconciliation package that will help ensure CBP and ICE receive the funding needed to secure our border and support law enforcement efforts. I am sure Democrats will once again oppose this funding. Securing the border is about protecting American families, restoring public safety, and supporting the men and women in law enforcement and border patrol who work tirelessly to keep our nation safe. The past 12 months of zero releases at the southern border show what strong leadership and secure border policies can accomplish. Under President Trump, America is once again putting border security first and delivering the safest border in our nation’s history.